When it comes to selling online products, you want to make sure the right people see them. Here is how to get products to show up at the top of Google search.
Getting to the Top of Google
As far as selling products online, few digital channels can get the results that e-commerce search engine marketing (SEM) can. E-commerce has changed the way people shop. It has also changed the way that retailers do their business.
Some retailers have been able to keep up with this change and adapt to it. Many of those who have adapted have made big business gains in the digital world.
Whether businesses are online or in brick and mortar stores, one big goal is to attract buyers. All businesses want to capitalize on the best way to capture the attention of their target audience. While social media and email marketing are some ways to do this, search engines are the largest sources of e-commerce traffic.
Here is how to get your products to the top of Google.
SEE ALSO: The Quick Guide To Getting Your Website To Rank Higher On Google
Sell On Amazon
Like it or not, Amazon is dominating e-commerce. In America alone, Amazon’s share of the e-commerce market is 49%. Amazon has a reputation as an online source for almost any product you can think of, that can possibly even get it to you tomorrow.
Due to this, Google and other search engines take into account how valuable Amazon is to its users that are looking for specific products. If you search for almost any product on Google, from the practical to the wacky, it is likely that an Amazon link to it will pop up on the first page of results.
A practical example:
Now let’s try something odd. You can bet that Amazon has it and appears in the search results.
Keep in mind that while Amazon does offer your products incredible exposure, it is not the complete answer.
Amazon is also a highly competitive market, with many retailers offering the same or similar products. Also, in order to stay on Amazon, you have to comply with their rules.
SEE ALSO: How To Use Product Reviews To Sell Your E-commerce Products
Focus On Product SEO
E-commerce SEO needs to be a major part of your digital sales strategy. If you ignore SEO, it can impact your business negatively over time. However, many people are intimidated by the intricacies of SEO.
In fact, effective e-commerce SEO requires a specific skill set. Many SEOs who specialize in e-commerce have a lot of coding and technical know-how. This is because managing an online store can be incredibly technically complex.
Product SEO and organic search need to be combined. Using SEO to achieve organic search results is a long haul effort that needs consistent work. In fact, it may take months to see any real results.
However, don’t discount it because it doesn’t show overnight results. Again, they key is a long term overall strategy.
Don’t Overlook Google Shopping Ads
While you need to think about a strong e-commerce SEO strategy, Google Shopping Ads are another powerful tool. In quarter 1 of 2018 alone, Google Shopping Ads drove 76.4% of retail search ad spend in the US and 82% in the UK.
In fact, this is the quickest and easiest way to get your products to show up at the top of Google search.
Whenever a product search occurs on Google, Google Shopping Ads pop up for users before they see the organic listings. Your products will pop up in searches due to keywords typed in by searchers and you will have to pay for your products to show up.
Just like with Amazon and organic search, competition is high. If you are trying to target shoppers during the holiday season, you will pay a high price for Google shopping ads.
Important Tips For Mastering Google Shopping Ads
All e-commerce marketers want to increase their sales while minimizing their ad spend. If you choose to use Google Shopping Ads, here are some ways you can get the most out of them:
1. Fill Out All Product Fields
Google has some required fields you have to fill in in your product CSV lists. Complete as many fields as possible to give Google as much information as you can.
2. Correctly Configure Your Site’s Product Feed
No one wants to do extra manual work. Make sure that your product feed is set up the right way. This will make sure that your shopping campaigns have as few upload errors as possible.
3. Campaign Structuring Is Important
You want your most profitable items to pop up the most. You can make sure this happens by using campaign priorities and custom labels. Custom labels allow you to filter groups of products.
4. Enable Promotions In Google Merchant Center
Many people overlook this feature. First, you will need to fill out this form. After Google approves you, you will be able to create new promotions in your campaign.
SEE ALSO: 7 Free Google Tools All Digital Branders Should Use
5. Focus On Images
Always use the highest quality product images that you can. Having product images that look better than other people’s gives you a huge edge in a very competitive e-commerce marketplace. Always use high-quality images from multiple angles to give consumers the best idea of what your products look like.
6. Get Specific
When it comes to your product titles and descriptions, do not be vague. Be obvious and descriptive. People who are online shopping are often looking for specific solutions and not vague mysteries.
7. Embrace DIY
While you can, to an extent, let a digital campaign run and forget about it, that rarely gets good results. Successful campaigns need close monitoring and fine-tuning. Things change quickly online, and something that works this week may not work in three or four weeks.
E-Commerce Search Engine Marketing Matters
Using the tools of SEM properly can help your business achieve great results. While it is not easy to master this digital channel, and not every tactic will work for every digital brand and situation, doing so can be the key to success in the digital sphere.
In short, focus on these tips:
- E-commerce SEO takes time, but is worth it if you have the time.
- Amazon is great for exposure for your products, but is also competitive and has its own rules.
- Google Shopping Ads are pricey, but fast and effective.
What SEM strategies do you think are most worthwhile to focus on? Comment below…
